SchnaiderEGame

Lori Schnaider Simulation: http://670.wikispaces.com/Captivate+Vision+Editing || ||
 * || =Deltek Vision Simulation Using Catpivate=

There is a great need within my consulting firm to maintain client information at the organizational level for marketing purposes. This information is best gained from the project managers who work directly with clients. Unfortunately many of them only update their own “rolodexes” and that information is not shared. This practice makes cross selling of our services very difficult. A new software, Vision, was purchased years ago and one of its many components is a Client Contact Information database. Project managers were introduced to the software through the Accounting component nine months ago and recently asked to update the Client Contact Information portion two months ago.
 * Overview **

Classroom training was provided for each department’s Administrative Assistant since project managers are very difficult to get into a classroom due to busy schedules, with the thought that they could teach the project managers how to use it. The classroom training consisted of a two-hour demonstration given by the techies who maintain the database. Two job aids were used, but not any hands-on exercises. This oversight was recorded in the student evaluations.

A simulation of the steps required to maintain the Client Contact Information database by the project managers will be a more effective tool in educating the target audience. It will be accessible to the project managers when they need it and have time to use it by placing it on the intranet. Learners of the simulations will be able to update their client contact information and correctly code it for marketing purposes. This database is accessed using Vision software. This software was purchased years ago, however has only been used by Accounting. Now that Marketing efforts are tapping into the database, there is a need to have accurate and up-to-date information on the clients, specifically the personnel who our team members work with, not just their Accounting department.

Using the Vision software, project managers will be able to: · Update and save changes to their client contact information · Create a new record for a client · Print current contact information and lists · Merge contact information into one record · Correctly code contacts for marketing purposes · Search for client information · Create reports of clients information

The motivational aspect of the simulation will include a description of how the information can be used. The project managers will be able to use the database to more easily keep track of their clients and they will be shown how to run reports. More importantly, the information will be used in marketing purposes in order to ensure a steady flow of work by cross selling our services to existing clients. Also, the simulation will be broken up into three, shorter simulations so a busy project manager can have the option of only accessing one simulation if that is all they need. The shorter simulations are more likely to be used. <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msobidifontfamily: Arial;">This simulation is designed for the project managers at my firm. They are engineers, planners and surveyors with a minimum of ten years of experience. The typical project manager has a Bachelor’s degree and some graduate coursework completed, he is a 48-year old male who has been with the company ten years and has 20 years experience. All project managers have been using the Accounting portion of the Vision software for nine months, but have not seen the client contact portion. They are computer savvy and have the hardware, software and connection necessary to access to the simulation. They are very analytical in nature with a limited amount of time to spend on training due to their project and client demands. They are accustomed to a culture of professionalism, camaraderie and competition. They have very little patience with things they feel are a waste of time, especially non-essential training. Due to the recent slow down in building projects, they are keenly interested in expanding theirs and other departments’ workloads. <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msobidifontfamily: Arial;">This simulation will be accessed from the company’s intranet which is only available within the firewall, at one of the offices. The Vision software it will be simulating is also only available from one of the offices. The project managers within my firm need this simulation if they are unclear as to how to add, edit and run reports on client contract information. They are responsible for the maintenance of information contained in the Client Contact Information database. <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msobidifontfamily: Arial;">Due to the culture, the motivational aspects of the simulation will expound the importance of the database maintenance to the user. The users will be reminded that the information will be used in marketing efforts to seek out and secure new work. All the project managers are aware that without future projects their jobs are at stake as they have witnessed in the preceding 18 months. Informing users of their control over the database is in line with increasing the motivating factors of the simulation, according to Malone and Lepper in //Making learning fun: A taxonomy of intrinsic motivations for learning//. Another motivating factor identified in the same source is cooperation. Users will be reminded that everyone is cooperating to maintain the database in an effort to improve the firm's marketing potential and thereby our collective success. <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msobidifontfamily: Arial;">Since my target audience is very analytical, I used a logical sequence of the learning objectives in the simulations using the life cycle of the information. The lessons are in this order: <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msobidifontfamily: Arial;">Information for the simulation was gathered from the training information.
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msobidifontfamily: Arial;">Learners **
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msobidifontfamily: Arial;">Context of Use **
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msobidifontfamily: Arial;">Motivational Issues **
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msobidifontfamily: Arial;">Design Process **
 * 1) create a new record for a client
 * 2) editing the contact information
 * 3) correctly code contacts for marketing purposes
 * 4) search for client information
 * 5) merge contact information into one record
 * 6) create reports of clients information.
 * 7) print current contact information and lists

Due to the lack of time and patience on behalf of the users, the simulation will be three separate simulations. This will enable the occasional user to review just the portion of instruction they need

<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msobidifontfamily: Arial;">Books & Journals
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msobidifontfamily: Arial;">References **
 * Schell, J. (2008). //The art of game design: A book of lenses//. San Francisco: Morgan Kaufmann
 * Malone, T. W., & Lepper, M. R. (1987). Making learning fun: A taxonomy of intrinsic motivations for learning. In R. E. Snow & M. J. Farr (Eds.). //Aptitude, learning and instruction. Volume 3: Conative and affective process analysis.// Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum
 * //Contact Handout// Job Aid
 * Vision Contact Administrator Training 10/20/09 Survey Result
 * //Vision Contact Setup and Maintenance// Job Aid